Edinburgh
Marathon Festival 2026
SPORTS INFOS — Scotland's greatest running weekend — Edinburgh Castle, Greyfriars Bobby, Royal Mile, Princes Street Gardens, Scott Monument, Holyrood, East Lothian coast, Gosford House, Musselburgh. 23–24 May 2026. 26.2mi · Half · 10K · 5K · Relay · 35,000+ runners · Sold out since 2008 · UK's fastest marathon.
Results — Edinburgh Marathon Festival 2026
Official results on edinburghmarathon.com — Marathon 26.2mi (10:00 AM, Sun 24 May), Half Marathon 13.1mi (8:00 AM, Sun), 10K & 5K (Sat 23 May, Holyrood Park), Hairy Haggis Team Relay (10:00 AM, Sun). Potterrow → East Lothian coast → Musselburgh. Scotland's biggest running event.
Results edinburghmarathon.com → 🌐 edinburghmarathon.com →Edinburgh — Scotland's Greatest Running Weekend
The Edinburgh Marathon Festival 2026 returns over the weekend of 23–24 May as Scotland's biggest — and the UK's second biggest behind London — running event. Voted the fastest marathon in the UK by Runner's World, the EMF has sold out every single year since 2008, drawing over 35,000 runners from across the world to one of Europe's most dramatic city courses. From the medieval grandeur of Edinburgh Castle and the cobblestones of the Royal Mile to the windswept coastline of East Lothian and the iconic finish at Pinkie Playing Fields, Musselburgh, this is a PB course unlike any other. The extraordinary 90-metre descent to near sea level at the finish is alone worth the entry fee. Sold out — as it has been every year since 2008.
"Starting on Potterrow with the backdrop of McEwan Hall, past Greyfriars Bobby and Edinburgh Castle, down through Princes Street Gardens — then the long, flat coastal miles to Musselburgh with that glorious 90-metre descent to the finish. The Edinburgh Marathon is a PB machine set against Scotland at its very finest."
Saturday 10K & 5K: Holyrood Park, start/finish near Dynamic Earth — panoramic city views and Edinburgh Castle backdrop.
Race Weekend — 23–24 May 2026
| Event | Distance / Start | Details |
|---|---|---|
| EMF 10K SAT | 10K — Sat 23 May, 9:00 AM | Holyrood Park · Dynamic Earth start & finish · Panoramic city and Castle views |
| EMF 5K SAT | 5K — Sat 23 May, 11:00 AM | Holyrood Park · Junior 5K (11–18) & Junior 2K (9–12) also Saturday |
| EMF Half Marathon CHIP TIMED | 13.1 mi — Sun 24 May, 8:00 AM | Potterrow → Edinburgh landmarks → East Lothian coast → Musselburgh · PB-friendly flat course |
| Edinburgh Marathon CHIP TIMED | 26.2 mi — Sun 24 May, 10:00 AM | UK's fastest marathon (Runner's World) · 90m descent to finish · 7h time limit · Sold out 2008–2026 |
| Hairy Haggis Team Relay 4-PERSON | 26.2 mi — Sun 24 May, 10:00 AM | 4 runners, marathon distance split between them · Relay exchange points on course |
| Wheelchair Marathon ELITE | 26.2 mi — Sun 24 May, 9:45 AM | Separate early start for wheelchair athletes |